St. Landry democrat., 1887-12-31

@dCt Ill OtleT tQe SGaMenS nave an elasticity
at the time the anthers open and thus scatter
the pollen over the pistil. Monecious plants
are facilitated in the reproductive act by
having the male flowers above the female, but
the Dincious are obliged to avail themselves
of assistance IN the matter of fertilization.
AS the pollen is mass oftiny grains like
dust, the wind is powerful distributing
agent, and according to the force of it's blast
the pollen is waited greater or less distance
on its reproductive errand. But nature is
not willing to intrust the reproduction of
plants to that erratic sower-the wind-she
has provided a surer method viz: insects.
A bee, for instance, visits a flower for the
purpose of robbing it of its sweets and
while so engaged the pollen adheres to its
feet; when it alights upon another flower Of
the same species, this pollen touches the pis-
til and the seeds are as surely and effectively
fartilized as if the pollen was scattered upon
the pistil by the laws of gravity.
There is something pleasant in this curious
arrangement of nature. The predatory bee
while stealing the honey really becomes a
valuable servant to the plant, and thus gives
rise to an idea. May it not be that the
llo1lcS iS ny hoNClS loi luIS UlCSlSC
object, viz, to attract the visits OF insects
and thus distribute their pollens? Let us
then imagine the sturdy bumble-bee a
winged cupid bearing from one flower to an
other messages of love. Some trees of the
DiGcious class are barren, and this may be
explained by the fact that none of the same
species are in sufficient proximity to allow
the wind or insects to bring the pollen to its
blossoms. | knew of singular case in
which tree of this class for years barren
suddenly produced fertile seeds. For some
time this freak could not be explained,
but at last I remembered a remarkably
severe windstorm which prevailed about the
time the pollen of these trees was mature.
Evidently the pollen was borne to this iso-
lated tree from an abnormal distance, only
practicable when the wind was very strong.
What strange freaks may have occurred by
this sowing of the wind! What curious
species may have resulted from his distribu-
ton, | have frequently noticed that when
field of white corn is planted in contiguity to
a patch of yellow, it will be found that some
yellow grains will appear amid the white,
and vice versa, this | attribute to the wind
blowing the pollen from the tassels and i'm
pregnating the grains.
What sagacity these humble plants evince
in casting their seed in the wings of the
wind, or attaching them to the unconscious
insect as he sips the honey from their petals
Romance, too, We can find in the plant
kingdom. Take the beautiful plant Val
isneria spiralis found in the ponds. Here
the stamenite flower, after casting many
amorous glances at its mate separated from
detaches itself from it's stem and swims to
its mate, and being more fortunate than
Leander when he sought fair Hero amid the
stormy waves of the Hellespont reaches her
and incloses her in a warm embrace To-
gether they seek watery grave, where the
male perishes on the bottom while the female
sows the seeds.
Some time ago | saw very excellent sug-
gestion to farmers connected with the re-
production of plants. A plant certainly
reaches the acme Of its vigor at the time its
pollen is mature. At this time its juices
must circulate in large quantities and then
if moved for hay it would contain more
nutritive qualities than if neglected until
the pollen was distributed Such sugges-
ton must have weight and should be care
fully studied by those harvesting forage
crops Of medicinal plants. There is no diff
Guilty in ascertaining when the pollen is
mature, for you can see it scattered on the
stigma, on the leaves of the plant, or adher-
ing to your clothes as you brush by them.
JAS. C. PLUMMRR.